
FT MEADE 
GenColl 


THE TOY 
WORKSHOP 


TAMARA RAMSAY 






















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FOREWORD 


Childhood speaks a universal language and this 
lovely picture book coming to us from across the seas 
will delight little Americans just as much as it did the 
little children for whom it was made. 

The appealing story of the beloved toys who were 
made whole again, and the gorgeously colored pictures 
which supplement it, •will bring genuine happiness and 
real joy to the littlest ones — and what greater 
rdaon <fHre can there be for any picture book anywhere 1 

Agatha L. Shea 

Director of Children’s Work for Branches 


The Chicago Public Library, 
June 30, 1932. 



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To 


T ommy was a Httle boy four years old. He 
was visiting his grandmother. 

All afternoon Tommy had played with strange 
toys which grandmother found for him up in the 
attic. “Toys your father used to play with when 
he was a little boy,” was the way grandmother 
explained it. 

There was a little wagon, but three wheels 
were off. The jumpingsjack had one leg missing. 
A little yellow chick had lost one eye. The toy 
elephant had two loose ears. 

But the longer Tommy played with these 
strange broken toys, the nicer they seemed to him. 
The little wagon had very pretty red trimmings. 
The jumpingisjack had the friendliest expression. 
The little yellow chick fitted right under Tommy’s 
arm as though it had always been carried there. 

At bedtime Tommy was a very tired little boy. 
Grandmother tucked him into the big bed in the 
old-fashioned spare room. She handed him his own 
Teddy Bear just before she put out the light. 

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T ommy explained to Teddy that he liked these 
strange toys so much because his father had played 
with them when he was a little boy. He felt sorry, 
too, because they were so badly in need of repair. 

As he talked, he fell asleep. Then a strange 
thing happened. He seemed to become smaller, and 
Teddy seemed to get larger. Tommy got so small 
that he looked like a doll in his blue polka-dot 
pajamas. 

Just as he was about to become frightened, 
Teddy put out his big brown paw and said, *‘Tommy, 
you are going tonight to the Toy Workshop in the 
Land of SilverysBlue. There you will have all 
these toys made as good as new. You will like 
them ever so much better than you would new ones, 
because they have been played with and treasured 
for so many, many years.” 

“Wll the wheels be put on the wagon?” asked 
Tommy. 

“Oh yes,” said Teddy. “And the jumpingsjack 
will have two legs, just as he had when he was new.” 

“What about the little yellow chick with one 
eye?” asked Tommy. 

“You’ll see he will be all right,” said Teddy 
cheerfully. “And your elephant will be ever so much 
happier with his ears fixed. He’s been afraid he’d 
lose them all these years.” 





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S Teddy finished speaking, the windows os* 



-^^pened quietly and four wee people slipped 
into the room. Tiny wings on their shoulders 
helped them to move quietly. They wore knitted 
shoes and mittens to match. 

“Were from the Land of SilverysBlue,” they 
said. 

“We have come to take you, Tommy, and all 
the toys you were playing with this afternoon to 
the Land of Silverys* Blue. Mothers and fathers 
might call it the Land of Memory. What you call 
it doesn’t really matter at all. While you are there, 
all your toys will be made new.” 

One of the little visitors wearing a blue bow 
found the jumpingjsjack. One wearing red knitted 
shoes and mittens picked up the yellow chick ever 
so carefully. A third little visitor found the three 
wheels and put them carefully in the little yellow 
wagon. The fourth picked up the elephant so cares 
fully that the ears couldn’t possibly fall off. 

“We must go quickly, for there is much to do,” 
they said. 




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W INGS moved softly, and Tommy found him¬ 
self floating out through the open window, 
straight out into the starry blue night. Two wee 
people were holding Tommy between them. 

The jumpingsjack and the toy elephant were 
in the lead. The yellow chick and the little 
wagon were there, too. 

“Only toys who have been loved very much 
for a long time can enter the Land of Silvery«= 
Blue,” the wee people told Tommy. 

“First your father played with these toys and 
took care of them, and loved them. Then your 
grandmother put them away in a dark trunk. 
But through Ae years she thought of them and 
loved them too, because your father had played 
with them when he was her little boy. 

“This afternoon she gave them to you. At first 
they seemed strange. The little wagon had three 
wheels off, but after you had played with it for a 
little while you noticed its pretty red trimmings. 
The jumpingsgack had one leg missing, but his 
expression grew more friendly as you played with 
him. Soon you grew to like the yellow chick and 
the elephant, too. Now you love them as your 
father did. 

“When we come to the gate, be sure to tell 
the gatekeeper just what we’ve told you.” 






T ommy found himself standing on a bank of 
white clouds. Off to the left was the starry 
blue night through which they had flown. Before 
them was a gate. At the gate stood a man with 
a long brown robe. He had long whiskers that 
reached below his knees. Large keys hung on a 
chain at his waist. Glasses were pushed high on 
his forehead. 

He coughed and said, “I am Old Man Forgets 
fulness. I guard the Land of SilverysBlue. Go 
hack, little boy, to your warm bed.” 

Tommy climbed up on the highest cloud. 
“Please, Mr. Forgetfulness,” he said, “we must 
go in. All my toys are on their way to the Toy 
Workshop.” 

“Why should you get into the Land of Silverys 
Blue?” asked the old man. “It is my job to keep 
people outl” 

“All these toys have been loved for a long, 
long time,” said Tommy. “My daddy played with 
them. My grandma took care of them for a long 
time, and this afternoon she gave them to me. 
And now I play with them and love them very 
much!” 

Without a word. Old Man Forgetfulness took 
the largest key that hung at his waist. He fitted 
it slowly into the lock. The gate swung open. 




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D own the street straight before them stood the 
Toy Workshop. A big bell hung at one side 
of the door. A candle burned brightly at the other. 
One of the wee people pulled the bell rope. Small 
windows directly over the entrance were pushed 
back, and a funny old man with a tall hat poked 
his head out. 

The jumpingsjack sat on the step with his 
broken leg lying beside him. Tommy leaned against 
the door. He was cold and tired. 

‘Who’s there?” called the funny old man with 
the tall hat. “Can’t you give a person a chance 
to sleep? Well! Well! Come right in. You all do 
need help, I can see that. Call in through the 
window just what toys you’ve brought. I’ll be 
right down.” 

The wee person wearing the blue bow stood on 
tiptoe and said clearly, “We have four toys: a wagon, 
a jumpingsjack, a yellow chick, and an elephant. 
A real little boy is here too, cold and hungry. His 
name is Tommy, and he needs food.” 

Soon all the workshop was astir. 

The doors were thrown open, and in came the 
wee people with Tommy and all his toys. 

At last the toy wagon, the jumpingsjack, the 
yellow chick and the elephant were in the Toy 
Workshop in the Land of SilverysBlue. 

















































































T ommy was taken into a small room lined with 
shelves. On the shelves were big boxes with the 
strangest labels. 

HANDS, LEGS, HEADS, NOSES, EYES, 
EARS, FACES, HAIR, ARMS, and FEET he read. 

“This must be the material they use for bro** 
ken dolls,” Tommy thought to himself. 

The funny old man with the tall hat sat on the 
top of a ladder reading from a big book. 

“He’s the one who decides what each broken 
toy needs,” Tommy was told. “Sawdust is measured 
on the scales over there. 

“He just read in the book that fresh tomato 
juice is good for little boys who feel tired, so he 
ordered some for you. Here it is.” 

Tommy drank tomato juice from a big spoon. 
“When you feel rested,” the funny old man in 
the tall hat said kindly, “go down to our kitchen 
where cookies and cakes are just coming out of 
the oven. Eat all you want, for cookies and cakes 
never hurt anybody in the Land of Silvery^Blue.” 

Tommy had been drinking fresh tomato juice 
as the funny old man in the tall hat suggested. 
Soon he felt much better. 

Tommy walked down a long hall. At the very 
end of the hall was the kitchen. 

















































T he walls were silversblue. Shining silver pans 
lined the shelves. Along one wall was a long 
table with a shining white top. 

On this table were cookies and cakes. There 
were big angel food cakes with thick white frosting. 
There were tiny little cakes with pink frosting. There 
were middles^sized cakes covered with coconut. There 
were dozens and dozens of tiny cup cakes, each with 
a different kind of frosting. 

Across the room was another table just as long, 
with a top that was just as shining white. Here 
were cookies — hearts^shaped cookies, star^sshaped 
cookies, round cookies, and oval cookies. Then 
there were animal cookies, and gingerbread men 







A t one end of the table was the cooky circus. A 
cooky camel and elephant led the procession. 
Then came the lion and the kangaroo. A gingers 
bread man was leading a troop of cooky horses. 
A second gingerbread man with a bright red frosts 
ed coat and long whip was surrounded by five 
tiger cookies. Two cooky bears were standing on 
their hind legs. Then came the clowns, some with 
high hats, some with hats with broad brims, and 
some with caps. One clown had no hat at all. 
































D own at the very end of the room was the large 
stove. One of the wee people with a tall white 
hat stood at the stove stirring a pan. The tea kettle 
was singing a song about the Land of SilveryssBIue. 

Little people of the workshop rushed in and 
out. One carried a tea-tray. One came hurrying 
in with his arms full of wood, while another put 
wood in the fire with big, blue tongs. 

They were all smiling. Each was glad to help 
the other. Each was very happy, for he was helping 
with all his might to make some toy as good as new. 

The very moon was smiling as he peeped into 
the kitchen. Tommy smiled, too. 

“Take all the cookies you want. Tommy,” ens 
couraged the cook. “Only the very nicest things 
can happen to you while you are here with usi 
“Only the nicest children with their nicest toys 
ever find their way to the Land of SilverysBlue — 
children whose toys have been really loved for a 
long, long time. 

“I’m sure you’ll be glad to see your toys by 
this time. Go straight ahead!” 














I N the next room Tommy found the wee people 
with whom he had started his journey to the 
Land of SilverysBlue. 

“Hello,” called the wee person wearing the blue 
how, ‘Veren’t the cookies good?” 

Another said, “You are just in timel The jump# 
ingsjack has his leg in place. He must rest for half 
an hour. Then he will he as good as new.” 

One of the little people who had first picked up 
the yellow chick ever so carefully called, “Tommy, 
come right here. Your little yellow chick which 
had lost one eye is waking up. While he was asleep 
in this hlue cradle, we put in a new eye. It is bright 
and shining, and matches his other perfectly!” 

In one corner sat one of the little people pound# 
ing with his hammer, making lots of noise. Tommy 
looked closer. Sure enough! It was his very own 
wagon painted bright yellow, and trimmed with red. 
Two little people were replacing the wheels. 

Then Tommy saw the little person who had 
picked up his elephant so carefully that it couldn’t 
possibly lose its ears. This little person was smiling 
as he worked over a toy elephant! This elephant 
had two ears fastened on securely. It was a pretty 
new color with shining white tUsks, for it had just 
been painted! 






















/^IVE all of your toys a chance to rest a little 
'^longer,” said one of the wee people wearing 
a blue bow. “While you are waiting, go into the 
room down stairs. There you will see how all the 
dolls are made as good as new.” 

Tommy walked down the stairs and into a big 
white room. The very floor was as soft as a fleecy 
cloud. Eight little people and the funny old man 
with the tall hat were as busy as could be. One 
was just handing a baby doll a bottle of milk as 
it lay in its buggy. 

Another was busily cleaning a doll’s teeth. 

“Sometimes dolls are put away for a long, long 
time, and the dust and dirt covers them. Sometimes 
dolls are left out in the garden over night, and it 
rains on them. Sometimes dolls are dropped, and 
their arms and legs are broken. Yet these are the 
dolls that are most loved — and never forgotten,” 
explained one of the little people. 

“They come to us to be mended. The doll hav? 
ing its bath in the blue bathtub fell face down in 
a mud puddle yesterday afternoon. 

“The one in the blue bed had a bad fall yester# 
day morning. When she was picked up, they found 
her head was cracked, and she had a long cut in her 
side. Now her head is bandaged; 












TN a very little while all these toys will be as 
■^good as new. 

These dolls and all the toys must hurry back 
to their little owners. Then we must begin on 
more toys that some little child loves very, very 
much! I think you had better find your own toys 
now, and start back home with them.” 

“Thank you,” said Tommy. “I have had such 
a very, very nice time with you.” 

At the doorway stood the wee people and all 
his toys. The jumpingsjack was smiling his nicest 
smile because he now had two legs. 

The yellow chick was there — a yellow chick 
with two bright eyes I 

From around the corner came one of the wee 
people pulling the bright yellow wagon, trimmed 
with red. It had four wheels and was filled with 
cookies. And the toy elephant was as good as new. 

^*Now, Tommy, you must hurry home. Goodsbye. 
Come againl Don’t forget us,” sang the wee people. 

Tommy found himself standing on a big white 
cloud right in front of Old Man Forgetfulness. 
The jumping;*jack was peeping over the edge of the 
cloud. The yellow chick stood beside Tommy. 
The toy elephant waited patiently for him to speak. 

“Goodsbve, Mr. Forgetfulness,” said Tommy. 






'Y^OU, and all the little people in the Land of 

SilverysBlue have been so kind to me and my 
toys. Here they all are — as good as new! My 
wagon is filled with cookies from the Land of Sih 
verysiBlue. Won’t you have some?” 

“Thank you, Tommy, I will,” said the old man. 
“Of all the little children who have come here, 
you are the only one who has offered me a cooky. 
Come back soon to the Land of Silvery^Blue!” 

As Old Man Forgetfulness sat down to eat his 
cooky, the bank of white clouds on which Tommy 
and his toys stood completely disappeared. 

Then Tommy, and the jumpingsjack with two 
legs, and the yellow wagon with four wheels, and 
the yellow chick with two bright eyes, and the toy 
elephant, and all the cookies began their fall through 
the starry night. 

Softly, slowly, and ever so pleasantly they 
seemed to float 

down, 

down, 

down, 

down, 

down. 




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T^OMMY sat up in bed. The sun shone in 
A brightly through the windows. He rubbed his 
eyes and looked hard at the foot of the bed. He 
looked, and he looked, and he looked. And no 
wonder! 

Grandmother had tiptoed in earlier that morn** 
ing and had hung a bag of cookies on the foot 
of his bed. 

So the first thing that Tommy saw when he 
sat up in bed was the bag of pretty cookies. 
They seemed to him to be the very ones he had 
in his little yellow wagon when he left the Land 
of SilveryjsBlue. 

Tommy sat looking at the cookies for several 
minutes before he realized that he was really back 
in the big bed in the oldssfashioned spare room 
at grandmother’s. 


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